Crunch Fitness Franchise Group Plots Midwest Expansion

Primetime Fitness, Michigan’s top Crunch Fitness franchise group, has inked a strategic growth partnership with private equity firm CapitalSpring as it looks to expand.

Primetime has established nine Crunch clubs across the greater Detroit metro area and Lansing over the past six years. However, they hope that proves to be just the tip of the iceberg with plans to eventually launch 50 to 75 locations.

“We’re incredibly excited to be working with a sponsor that possesses the multi-unit experience that CapitalSpring provides,” said Kevin Laferriere, CEO of Primetime Fitness. “Their proven track record of scaling franchise platforms like Crunch Fitness was a key factor in ultimately selecting them as our equity partner.”

CapitalSpring has invested more than $3 billion over the past 18 years in 70 brands both domestically and abroad, mainly focusing on food industry franchises.

“The future of Primetime Fitness and our vision of rapid, disciplined growth is in complete alignment with their ethos,” Laferriere said of CapitalSpring. “Most importantly, our shared and common cultural values will allow our company, team, and members to realize their full potential.”

With the partnership, Primetime Fitness is following a blueprint familiar to other Crunch Fitness franchise groups. CR Fitness, the biggest Crunch franchisee with a large presence in the southeast, recently secured funding from North Castle Partners, which also backs brands such as Equinox, Barry’s, and Therabody, CR Fitness is eyeing 100 gyms by 2026.

The Undefeated Tribe, a Crunch franchise group in the southwest, partnered with private equity and venture capital firm VMG Partners, which backs health and wellness brands including Solidcore, Kind and Ghost. The Undefeated Tribe is eyeing 50 locations by 2025.

The moves all fall in line with Crunch’s corporate plan to expand at an aggressive pace coming out of the pandemic. The fitness franchise currently has over 450 locations open nationwide with many more in the works.